The New York Giants Could Shake Up The NFL With 2019 NFL Draft Pick

Dec 30, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) points to his family on the sideline during warmups before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY NETWORK

With the 2019 NFL draft slowly creeping up on us, the New York Giants have made several stunning and unexpected moves in the first few days of free agency. The trading of Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns was the specific deal that questioned the sanity of general manager Dave Gettleman, but he could be on to something.

There’s one team that stands out to me when I think of the plan Gettleman could secretly be putting together. The Baltimore Ravens – a team that finished the season 10-6 behind rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. Now, let me ask you: when was the last time the Giants looked as good as them?

It’s been awhile…but they could be considering a similar route in regard to their offense. Similar to the role Jackson plays, a player like Kyler Murray could theoretically come in and replicate the same production, but with more throwing prowess.

Do you want to know who the Ravens had at wide receiver in 2018? Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead. Three decent options but none stand out as ‘great’. Odell Beckham Jr. is the definition of great, but even in his best season with the Giants, they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. This game is best remembered for Beckham’s multiple dropped passes and cruise boat picture.

The New York Giants couldn’t buy a win to save their lives:

The next two seasons resulted in eight total wins. His influence was significant…when he was on the field. He played in only 12 games between 2017-18. The Giants might have actually made a decent move by trading their star receiver. My concern is the haul they came out with.

I was expecting a minimum of two first-round picks for Beckham, but they walked away with the No.17 pick in the upcoming draft, a late third-rounder, and safety Jabril Peppers.

Some might belittle the Peppers acquisition, but in theory, he’s a similar player to Landon Collins but with less cap-hit and more speed. Additionally, he’s one of the premier kick returners in the NFL.

The New York Giants could change the course of their offense:

Back to my original point – the Giants could realistically take Kyler Murray and utilize him and Saquon Barkley as a dual threat. The read-option would be nearly impossible to stop as long as the team has even average receivers. A good slot receiver and a solid wideout should get the job done.

Not only would the Giants have two of the fastest players in football, but they have upgraded their offensive line that is potentially top-10 on paper. Considering the Ravens ranked 13th in offensive production last season with Jackson only playing in half of the games, it’s fair to say the Giants can succeed if they choose to go that route. Jackson had Guz Edwards and Javorius Allen at running back, the Giants have Barkley.